For certain people, the risk of accidentally falling during routine activities can be great. Such falls can lead to death or non-fatal injuries. It could be argued that the fear and self imposed limitations on routine activities can be as problematic as the falls themselves. Injuries due to falls and the fear of falling both contribute to loss of independence for many people, especially elderly people. Although falls are by no means limited to the elderly, many elderly people do fall. Approximately 30% of people over 65 years old fall each year with approximately one fifth of those falls requiring medical attention and approximately one tenth of those falls resulting in at least one fractured bone (L D Gillespie, W J Gillespie, M C Robertson, S E Lamb, R G Cumming and B H Rowe; 2001; Interventions for preventing falls in elderly people; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews). In one study (J M Hausdorff, D A Rios and H K Edelberg; 2001; Gait variability and fall risk in community-living older adults: a 1-year prospective study; Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; 82:1050-6) of community-living, ambulatory people who were at least 70 years old, 40% of the subjects experienced a fall in a one year period. Other conditions predispose individuals for a high risk of falling (for example, see Y Balash, C Peretz, G Leibovich, T Herman, J M Hausdorff and N Giladi; Falls in outpatients with Parkinson's disease: frequency, impact and identifying factors; 2005; Journal of Neurology; 252:1310-5). In another study (A Bergland, T B Wyller; 2004; Risk factors for serious fall related injury in elderly women living at home; Injury Prevention; 10:308-13) it was found that for community living women who were at least 75 years old; over half fell at least once in a one year period with 24% of those falls requiring medical attention and 13% of those falls resulting in at least one fractured bone. In institutional settings, the fall rates are even worse (L Z Rubenstein, K R Josephson, A S Robbins; 1994; Annals of Internal Medicine; Falls in the nursing home; 12:442-51).
Previous attempts have been made to increase safety for people at increased risk for falling. However, none has proven fully satisfactory for all situations.
A few of the interventions that seem to help reduce the risk of falls are muscle strengthening and balance retraining, Tai Chi group exercise, home hazard assessment and modification, and withdrawal of psychotropic medication (L D Gillespie, W J Gillespie, M C Robertson, S E Lamb, R G Cumming and B H Rowe; 2001; Interventions for preventing falls in elderly people; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews).
One object of some embodiments of the invention disclosed here is to increase the independence and confidence of people who would be at increased risk for falling.
Also, previous attempts have been made to increase safety and convenience of moving people with limited autonomous mobility. However, none has proven fully satisfactory for all situations. One object of some embodiments of the invention disclosed here is to increase safety and convenience of moving people with limited autonomous mobility.